A Scottish man found floating in the water near his boat at a marina in southern Spain has been named locally as Joseph Williams.

The 71-year-old’s body was discovered just after midday on Sunday a short distance from his 38ft sailing vessel Talal, moored at Alcaidesa Marina near Gibraltar.

It is believed he plunged into the water after a heavy drinking session soon after he returned to the boat. The results of an autopsy have not been made public but police have said there is nothing at this stage pointing to the death being the result of a crime.

Joe, from Dundee, had been living in the marina for some time although he usually returned to Scotland for the summer months.

He is believed to have spent time there with relatives living in St Andrews.

Wellwishers left flowers on the boot of his green Mgb classic, which was still parked at the marina today.

Sailors in the marina said the dead man had been drinking the night before his body was found and was the “worse for wear” when he walked back to his vessel just before midnight on Saturday.

One said: “A waiter at a lounge bar in the port served him a whisky before he went back to his boat but he was already pretty tanked up before he asked for that drink.

“Staff were so concerned they called port workers as he left because they were worried he might fall into the water.“The workers watched him get onto his boat on their surveillance cameras so they knew for sure he was safely back.

“The last patrol they did was at midnight and the next at 6amon Sunday but he wasn’t found till several hours after that.

Another said: “It’s really tragic. He was a lovely guy. He spoke about having relatives in St Andrews.

“He drove a green Mgb classic which he brought back from Scotland during a return trip earlier this year.“He used to spend the summers in Scotland generally but most of the rest of the year here.”